Berhampur (Odisha): The headmaster of an upper primary school in Odisha's Ganjam district has been suspended for locking school toilets while classes were on.

The incident occurred when the district administration has launched Swachh Ganjam-Aam Swabhiman, a school sanitation awareness programme.

"During an inspection recently, I found all six toilets of the school locked. Students were going outside to relieve themselves. The headmaster could not give a satisfactory answer for locking the toilets," District Education Officer (DEO) Sanatan Panda.

Following a direction from Panda, Block Education Officer (Buguda) Kali Charan Behera suspended E Padmanav Patra, headmaster of the school at Pangidi in Buguda block on Friday.

The district administration has asked the BEOs and headmasters to strictly implement the school sanitation awareness programme which asks students to use toilets and clean their surroundings, Panda said.